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SANTA CLARA — There is no doubt from George Kittle that the 49ers will work out a mega contract extension with Brock Purdy during the offseason.
The 20240 NFL regular season is not over yet, but soon the 49ers will have a lot of decisions to make, including how to keep their starting quarterback in the building for years to come.
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“I think Brock has done nothing but play at a very, very high level,” Kittle said. “The nice thing about contracts is when you play at a high level, you can compare yourself to other people in the league and when other guys are getting paid $50-60 million, and you’re a better quarterback than they are, it’s hard not to get that same amount of money.”
Kittle was not slighting any of the quarterbacks in the league, but rather emphasizing how effective Purdy has been while operating coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense. San Francisco has appeared in the NFC Championship Game in four out of the last five seasons, and in half of those games, Purdy has been under center.
Even though 2024 has not unfolded the way the 49ers nor Purdy expected, the Iowa State product has been a constant. Level-headed and calm in dire circumstances, the play caller likely will remain the same through his impending contract negotiations.
The 49ers have several highly paid players on the roster, but Kittle believes that will not be an inhibitor in the quarterback’s future.
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“I don’t know what Brock is going to do,” Kittle said. “I think the Niners are going to figure something out to be as team friendly as possible, but still reward him for the things that he has done and the things he is going to continue to do for this organization.”
Purdy has a 23-11 career record as a starter, and a 4-2 record in the postseason. After leading the league in several quarterback metrics in 2023, this season has been a challenge. Yet Purdy remains in the top 10 to 15 in some categories, including third in yards per completion (8.4 yards), 10th in QBR (65.2) and his 94.3 rating ranks him 15th.
Just as important as what Purdy has achieved on the field are the intangibles and the qualities that are not seen by the public eye.
“Brock is, what, 24?” Kittle said. “He’s not a kid, but he has a lot of growth and maturity left in front of him, too. So, I think he’s only going to get better and better, and each year you’re going to see a better version of Brock.
“The more mature he gets, the more vocal he will be as a leader. I think he does a good job of that already, and I think he has taken a step forward in that this year specifically. I think next year he is going to come back and be an even more of a vocal leader for us.”
For now, the 49ers will focus on the three game left on the schedule, not only for pride, but for the slight possibility of still making the playoffs. The 49ers' final record still is unknown, but there is no second guessing that they already have their franchise quarterback in the building.
“The good thing is, I don’t have to do this contract, that’s not on me,” Kittle said with a smile. “That’s on the organization and the guys on the other side of the aisle.”
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